The First Book of Samuel

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 27 -

And David says to his heart, “Now I am consumed by the hand of Saul one day; there is nothing better for me than that I diligently escape to the land of the Philistines, and Saul has been despairing of me—of seeking me anymore in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.”

And David rises, and passes over, he and six hundred men who [are] with him, to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath;

and David dwells with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, [even] David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess.

And it is declared to Saul that David has fled to Gath, and he has not added to seek him anymore.

And David says to Achish, “Now if I have found grace in your eyes, they give a place to me in one of the cities of the field, and I dwell there, indeed, why does your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

And Achish gives Ziklag to him in that day, therefore Ziklag has been for the kings of Judah until this day.

And the number of the days which David has dwelt in the field of the Philistines [is one year] of days and four months;

and David and his men go up, and they push toward the Geshurite, and the Gerizite, and the Amalekite (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old), as you come to Shur and to the land of Egypt,

and David has struck the land, and does not keep alive man and woman, and has taken sheep, and oxen, and donkeys, and camels, and garments, and turns back, and comes to Achish.

And Achish says, “To where have you pushed today?” And David says, “Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelite, and to the south of the Kenite.”

David keeps alive neither man nor woman, to bring in [word] to Gath, saying, “Lest they declare [it] against us, saying, Thus David has done, and thus [is] his custom all the days that he has dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.”

And Achish believes in David, saying, “He has made himself utterly abhorred among his people in Israel, and has been for a perpetual servant to me.”

David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So I will escape out of his hand.”

David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.

Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped looking for him.

David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.

The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land who were of old, on the way to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.

David struck the land, and saved no man or woman alive, and took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned, and came to Achish.

Achish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.”

David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, saying, “Lest they should tell about us, saying, ‘David did this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”

Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he will be my servant forever.”